Damsels of Destruction crash for a cause

Smoke pours out from under the hood of Tiffany Ortega's 1979 Chevy as she rams another driver in the all-female Damsels of Destruction Demolition Derby at the Orange County Fair Friday night.SAM GANGWER, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

Deconstructing a derby car

Demolition derby cars typically have solid bodies and lots of crushing room. American-made '60s sedans and '70s station wagons are popular. They're found in junkyards or through enthusiasts online, for a few hundred dollars.

A couple of the Damsels of Demolition find and prepare their own cars, founder Windy Jones said. But most take advantage of relationships she's built with mechanics, including father-and-son derby veterans Billy and Travis Altfather.

Before the derby, glass must be removed and interiors stripped, so no parts fly off and injure drivers. Doors are welded shut, hoods chained closed and gas tanks cut; a fuel cell goes in the back seat.

After 60 or 80 hours of deconstruction, most drivers also dedicate time to giving their vehicles personality, as there is a $250 award for best-appearing car.

"It's a lot of work for 10 to 15 minutes of destroying it," Jones said. "But it's a lot of fun."

COSTA MESA – Two flat tires. Steam pouring from the hood. Trunk crunched into the backseat.

Still the women kept going, taking aim and smashing into each other until one car was left standing.

Each crash was met with cheers from the 5,000 people who packed the grandstands at OC Fair's Action Sports Arena on Friday night.

For driver Jessica "Babe Ruth" Hughes of Silverado, the competition was about crossing something off her bucket list. For Leigh "Iron Maiden" Hansen of Lake Forest, it was about second chances, after her car failed to start during last year's derby. And for Shannan "Tinker Hell" Childs of Azusa, it was about taking out some of her road rage.

But all of the women who participated in the Damsels of Destruction Demolition Derby had one goal in common.

"We're here to save the boobies," Denise Childers of Orange said, with all prize money donated to Susan G. Komen Orange County, supporting local breast health programs and fueling research to fight cancer.

Jones was the first woman to enter the fair's Orange Crush Demolition Derby in 2004 after catching the prior year's show. She spent hours building her car with her father, and, while she didn't win, she "got a taste for crunching metal."

That drive was still there when she saw the Motor Home Madness derby during the 2011 fair. Soon she'd devised Damsels of Demolition, which she launched with help from Sunnyside Promotions and in support of Susan G. Komen.

"By going out there and smashing their cars into each other, they're helping us get one step closer toward destroying breast cancer," said Lisa Wolter, executive director of Susan G. Komen Orange County.

It's a cause close to Jones' heart. Her aunt Darlene died of breast cancer some 15 years ago. She didn't have insurance, Jones said, and kept her disease a secret until it was too late.

Determined to promote early detection, Jones reached out to 10 women who'd never driven in derbies before. The field included a housewife from Newport Beach and three women who work with Jones at a payroll company not far from the fairgrounds.

"Some girls go to lunch together and we hit each other with cars, I guess," Jones said with a laugh.

The 2012 derby raised $7,000 and included a surprise marriage proposal for driver Lori Siegele, who finished second. Tiffany Ortega of Fullerton won driving the "Dar Car," named in honor of Jones' aunt.

Smoke pours out from under the hood of Tiffany Ortega's 1979 Chevy as she rams another driver in the all-female Damsels of Destruction Demolition Derby at the Orange County Fair Friday night. SAM GANGWER, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Talia Fiege of Huntington Beach driving a 1976 Cadillac looks over her shoulder as she backs into another car in the all-female Damsels of Destruction Demolition Derby at the Orange County Fair Friday night. SAM GANGWER, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Ten drivers competed in the all-female Damsels of Destruction Demolition Derby at the Orange County Fair Friday night. SAM GANGWER, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Three cars collide in the all-female Damsels of Destruction Demolition Derby at the Orange County Fair Friday night. SAM GANGWER, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Windy Jones of Silverado waves to the crowd from the drivers seat during the all-female Damsels of Destruction Demolition Derby at the Orange County Fair on Aug. 9. SAM GANGWER, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
A fan of the "Double D" car and eventual winner Talia Fiege, holds a sign during the all-female Damsels of Destruction Demolition Derby at the Orange County Fair Friday night. SAM GANGWER, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Windy Jones, left, crashes her car into Talia Fiege at the all-female Damsels of Destruction Demolition Derby at the Orange County Fair Friday night. SAM GANGWER, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Smoke pours out from under the hood of Misti Laverde's 1969 Ford station wagon during the all-female Damsels of Destruction Demolition Derby at the Orange County Fair Friday night. SAM GANGWER, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Fans of driver Talia Fiege, from left, Lori Adamo, Tatiana Miranda and Lee Holstein cheer for the driver of the "Double D" car in the all-female Damsels of Destruction Demolition Derby at the Orange County Fair Friday night. SAM GANGWER, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Talia Fiege holds the trophy for winning the all-female Damsels of Destruction Demolition Derby at the Orange County Fair Friday night. SAM GANGWER, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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